US2004196865A1PendingUtilityA1

Method and system for discovering a topology of a portion of a computer network

39
Priority: Mar 27, 2003Filed: Mar 27, 2003Published: Oct 7, 2004
Est. expiryMar 27, 2023(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Srikanth NatarajanRichard Lamb
H04L 41/12H04L 45/03H04L 45/52
39
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A system and method includes obtaining first information from a first router that supports a first routing protocol (for example, OSPF) in a computer network. The routing protocol defines areas, which are groups of routers, and defines neighbors. The first information includes a first routing protocol neighbor indication and a first routing protocol area indication. The first routing protocol neighbor indication is used to determine a second router that supports the first routing protocol in the computer network. Second information is obtained from the second router. The second information includes a second routing protocol neighbor indication and a second routing protocol area indication. The information can be discovered and collected iteratively until a topology of a desired portion of the network which supports the first routing protocol can be produced.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of discovering routers which support a first routing protocol to produce a topology of a portion of a computer network which supports the first routing protocol, the method comprising: 
 obtaining first information from a first router that supports a routing protocol in the computer network, the routing protocol defining areas which are groups of routers and defining neighbors, the first information including a first routing protocol neighbor indication and a first routing protocol area indication;    using the first routing protocol neighbor indication to determine a second router that supports the first routing protocol in the computer network;    obtaining second information from the second router, the second information including a second routing protocol neighbor indication and a second routing protocol area indication; and    using the first and second information to produce a topology of the portion of the computer network that supports the first routing protocol.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first routing protocol is an OSPF protocol.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 displaying routing protocol routers within a routing protocol area.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the displaying includes: 
 displaying multiple routing protocol areas.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the displaying includes: 
 displaying a routing protocol area connected to a backbone routing protocol router.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising: 
 selecting between a first view showing routing protocol routers within the routing protocol area, and a second view showing the routing protocol area connected to a backbone routing protocol router.    
     
     
         7 . A system for discovering routers which support a first routing protocol to produce a topology of a portion of the computer network which supports a first routing protocol: 
 a processor configured to obtain first information from a first router that supports the first routing protocol in the computer network, the routing protocol defining areas which are groups of routers and defining neighbors, the first information including a first routing protocol neighbor indication and a first routing protocol area indication, the processor configured to use the first routing protocol neighbor indication to determine a second router that supports the first routing protocol in the computer network, the processor configured to obtain second information from the second router, the second information including a second routing protocol neighbor indication and a second routing protocol area indication; and    a memory which stores the first and second information to produce topology information of a portion of the computer network that supports the first routing protocol.    
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first routing protocol is an OSPF protocol.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , comprising: 
 a display using the topology information to show a routing protocol area.    
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the display shows routing protocol nodes within the routing protocol area.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the display shows multiple routing protocol areas.  
     
     
         12 . The computer of  claim 9 , wherein the display shows the routing protocol area connected to a backbone routing protocol router.  
     
     
         13 . The computer of  claim 9 , wherein the processor includes an interface for selection between a first view showing routing protocol routers within the routing protocol area and a second view showing the routing protocol area connected to a backbone routing protocol router.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first routing protocol is an OSPF protocol.  
     
     
         15 . A computer readable medium containing a computer program for performing a method of discovering routers which support a first routing protocol to produce a topology of a portion of a computer network which supports the first routing protocol, the method comprising: 
 obtaining first information from a first router that supports a routing protocol in the computer network, the routing protocol defining areas which are groups of routers and defining neighbors, the first information including a first routing protocol neighbor indication and a first routing protocol area indication;    using the first routing protocol neighbor indication to determine a second router that supports the first routing protocol in the computer network;    obtaining second information from the second router, the second information including a second routing protocol neighbor indication and a second routing protocol area indication; and    using the first and second information to produce a topology of the portion of the computer network that supports the first routing protocol.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first routing protocol is an OSPF protocol.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising: 
 displaying routing protocol routers within a routing protocol area.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the displaying includes: 
 displaying multiple routing protocol areas.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the displaying includes: 
 displaying a routing protocol area connected to a backbone routing protocol router.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising: 
 selecting between a first view showing routing protocol routers within the routing protocol area, and a second view showing the routing protocol area connected to a backbone routing protocol router.    
     
     
         21 . Apparatus for discovering routers which support a first routing protocol to produce a topology of a portion of the computer network which supports a first routing protocol, comprising: 
 means for obtaining first information from a first router that supports the first routing protocol in the computer network, the routing protocol defining areas which are groups of routers and defining neighbors, the first information including a first routing protocol neighbor indication and a first routing protocol area indication, the processor configured to use the first routing protocol neighbor indication to determine a second router that supports the first routing protocol in the computer network, the processor configured to obtain second information from the second router, the second information including a second routing protocol neighbor indication and a second routing protocol area indication; and    means for storing the first and second information to produce topology information of a portion of the computer network that supports the first routing protocol.    
     
     
         22 . Apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the first routing protocol is an OSPF protocol.  
     
     
         23 . Apparatus of  claim 7 , comprising: 
 means for using the topology information to show a routing protocol area.    
     
     
         24 . Apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the using means shows routing protocol nodes within the routing protocol area.  
     
     
         25 . Apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the using means shows multiple routing protocol areas.  
     
     
         26 . Apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the using means shows the routing protocol area connected to a backbone routing protocol router.  
     
     
         27 . Apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the obtaining means includes an interface for selection between a first view showing routing protocol routers within the routing protocol area and a second view showing the routing protocol area connected to a backbone routing protocol router.  
     
     
         28 . Apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the first routing protocol is an OSPF protocol.

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